ABUBAKAR JIKA

Electrifying Kano (II)

Abubakar Jika

Some times in September last year I came out with Electrifying Kano, a write up that attempted to verify the electrification claims of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. This arose out of two developments. First, the persistent claims by the Kwankwaso regime that within two years it electrified more towns and villages than it met. The second was the apparent endorsement of this claim by the National Media Tour, whose spokeswoman openly advocated Kwankwaso to “Tazarce” I was a witness to the second incident.

There were several reactions to that article. There were those who saw it as another media endorsement of Kwankwaso. Some privately complained to me that the article would burnish the image of the Governor. There were of course those who hailed the write up. Among this group are those who believe in Kwankwaso and who hail any write up that appears to favour him. The others were those who saw in it investigative journalism. After all it was a sampling technique and I could not sample more than the few I did.

In any case, in this our profession you cannot satisfy all. It is not even the business of a journalist to try to satisfy any one. His business is to report on what he saw. He is free to comment, but facts are sacred. To prove my investigation was factual, the National Media Tour, which investigated all states except those controlled by the AD party, gave Kwankwaso a National Award on rural electrification.

In any case, the conclusion of my electrifying Kano was “ I intend to check on other locations, perhaps next year”. The idea was to put the Agency responsible- Kano State Rural Electricity Board - headed by Eng. Ahmed Ishaq on its toes. That there are societal watches dogs, following their footsteps.

In my first outing during my visit to Zoza Electrification Project in Rogo local government area I observed that only half (50 percent) of the job was completed then. It was billed to cost N10 million. I went back to that project. The project has been completed. When I visited Farin Dutse ElectrificationProject in Sumaila local government in September last year, it was at preliminary stages or about 20 percent. It was estimated to cost N5.7million.

I observed then that the pace of work there was rather slow, perhaps due to heavy down pour of August. I was a bit critical of the slow pace of work then.

This time when I went back it was completed. I was surprised. I was told it was a joint project. I don’t know whether my observation then aided the pace. But looking at the performance chart of the Board I observed that the project was billed to be completed by the end of last year.

I also observed and reported on the Ningawa Electrification Project in Madobi local government Area then that nothing serious was done there. I was told it was a new project. Also the August rainfalls might have contributed to the sluggish pace I noted then. During my follow up visit, it was still not completed. However appreciable progress has been made. I estimated the level of work done to be about 55 percent.

I was also told it was a joint project. Now that we are in dry season, except if it is funding problem, one hope that it would be completed before the onset of rains in three months time. The project is relatively big, which I was told costs N 11.8 million. I noticed equipment on site.

I choose five other local governments for sampling this time around. These are Bebeji, Ajingi, Kumbotso, Garun Malam and Wudil. I thought these are fairly representative enough sampling for this report. As we all know, random sampling is a globally accepted technique in research. I went to these locations.

At Bebeji local government I went to Kofa. The Kofa Electrification Project is completed. I was told the state government solely sponsored it. I also went to Anadariya. Its project was also completed. I was told it was financed completely by the state government. The quality of job was good. I was not told the cost.

At Ajinqi I went to two places. I was at Toranke. The project is not completed. I estimated it to be about 60 percent. I also do not know how much it costs. I was also at Kwashi. There again the project was not completed. I was however told it cost about N8.6 million. I was told the state government is sponsoring the project. The pace of work is not as fast as Toranke. Nobody offers explanation for this.

At Kumbotso local government I went to two locations. I was at Sabuwar Gandu. The Electrification Project was completed. I was told it cost N9.4 million. I was told the state government solely funded it. It looks quite impressive.

I also visited Shekar Maidaki. The project is on going. I was told it would cost about N7 million. The project has gone far. I estimate it would be up to 70 percent. But when I went on site that day, the workers were not many. Those I saw were not willing to answer specific questions on completion dates. They referred me to “Oga Engineer”, who I could not locate. I went to two places at Garum Malam local government. I was at Dumaje. The project was completed. I was told it was a state government project. The quality appears good. I proceeded to Unguwar Kudu. The project there was also completed. Again I was told it was a state government affair. I could however not get financial figures at both Dumaje and Unguwar Kudu. I was advised to check on the State Rural Electricity Board in Kano.

I rounded my visit at Wudil local government. I was at Indabo. The project was on going. It was about half completed. I could not however get specific figures on cost. I went to Kausani. The project is also on going. I was told it would cost slightly less than N10 millions. The pace of work appears good there too. Perhaps the project would be completed before April rains.

For a state that prides itself as “center of commerce”, it appears the government appreciates the significance of electric energy. No area can industrialize or engage in any viable commerce without electricity supply. This is one area of growing consensus, as exemplified by the Media Tour Awards, which Kwankwaso has done well on.

I rounded my trips with a visit to Engineer Ishaq Ahmed Permanent Secretary/Managing Director State Rural Electricity Board to solicit his comments on the “secret behind”, their success. Again he declined extensive interview preferring their work to speak for them.

He however told me that performance and integrity were two heritage of their Board, which was passed through the various leadership tenures. He worked over 20 years there and shares the glory with his predecessors. Such humble generosity and consistency are traits we need to pass from one leadership to another if we are to break out of the cull – de sac we find ourselves in Nigeria.

JIKA teaches at the Dept. of Mass Communications, Bayero University, Kano.